Blog Entries

An Update from Virtual Construction

Dan Bayer, director of virtual construction, reveals the latest in BIM and beyond at Miron Construction.

What is a recent client virtual success story?Miron is presently constructing a facility for a customer who we’ve continually had very open communication with at each step of the construction process, so any time someone has a question about anything they can ask. Recently, this customer needed help understanding audio/video options, so our contact and IT personnel from our customer and Miron met to discuss all of the options. We walked them from space-to-space in our building, which has multiple options for demonstrating A/V. The client was able to understand their options and make the best choice based on seeing the technology in action.

What is new or noteworthy in BIM/virtual construction right now?How we work is changing as our subcontractor partners are starting to get on board with collaboration and are more accepting of the tools of the trade. Many may not have all the resources, but they are more willing to participate in the process. We’ll be able to take collaboration even further with the development of Miron’s Construction Innovation Lab. It will be an interesting and interactive space for people to get an in-depth look at the technology we’re using every day.

What are some notable projects you’ve been working on?The new University of Iowa School of Art and Art History facility has by far utilized the most virtual construction elements of any other project we’ve worked on.

We also have an internal project worthy of mention—our new Construction Innovation Lab at our corporate office.It’s a combination of technologies to improve collaboration and communication and expedite decision-making. We wanted to find a system that was easy to use, extremely versatile with all teams/departments, and offers a touch-screen experience.

Are there any hot-button issues in virtual construction right now?Aside from collaboration, developers are continuing to work to connect systems. Even in terms of design and modeling software, in the past two years we’ve seen more automation to create and capture information.

What changes in the marketplace have you seen in the last several years?Many customers—and Miron project team members—have become savvier with BIM , what we do, and the possibilities available to them in terms of technology.

It’s now an expectation that everyone wants access to information at all times and on any device. Whoever can do this most efficiently will stand out.

The choices we make with technology shape the future, and it’s been exciting personally to see the evolution of Miron from where it was eight years ago when I joined the team to where it is today, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds.